President Holly opened the meeting by introducing Jim Gilcreast for the pledge of Allegiance.
Inspiration
Don Saracen offered the following quote from Crawford C. McCullough past president of Rotary International and member of Club of Fort William, Ontario, Canada October 1926.
“Difference in language, history, customs, and environment influences the outward expression of Rotary, but the basic principles upon which it is founded and the objectives towards which it strives remain always the same in all lands and among all peoples - Service Above Self.”
And so it is with our club, the 22nd oldest in the world. We are now in our 111th year and we proudly continue our legacy of Service Above Self
February birthdays
Wendy Marcus announced that Walter Cotter and PP Ken Conde have February birthdays.
Announcements
Good Works Committee 2022 Food Drive February 1st through March 1st
Kris David reported that this year’s beneficiaries will be Youth Pride Inc and St. Edward’s Food Pantry. Wish list items (nothing open or expired, please) include granola bars, peanut butter, tuna fish, canned meat, soaps, toothpaste, travel size mouthwash and other hygiene products, deodorant, and toilet paper.
Please bring items to the club meetings or contact, Kristine David at kd7950@gmail.com, to arrange to have someone pick up the items you are donating if you are unable to attend a meeting.
Rotary Book Club
President Holly shared a Rotary book club report from Nondas Voll. The book club held its 124th meeting in January reading the Lincoln Highway by Amor Towles suggested by Walter Adamowicz. All admired the characters, storytelling in classical references. The novel is full of adventures and hope. Two members are reading it again already!
The title chosen for February is Red Roulette: An Insiders Story of Wealth, Power, Corruption and Vengeance in Today’s China by Desmond Shum. It was recommended by Barry Fain, it’s a memoir from an entrepreneur who rose to power and whose wife disappeared. The next meeting date on Zoom is Monday, February 24 at 1 PM. Anyone is welcome to join us there for discussions and friendships.
Providence Bruins and PC Games
Anthony Landi is grateful for the generosity of Club members. There are now more than enough donations to host San Miguel students at the PC game on 2/23.
If you want tickets to the Providence Bruins game on 2/11, you can reach out to Anthony or use the link on the
club’s website.
Happy Bucks
- Pete Brock started the collection with his own $10 for a fun weekend of football and a snow blower that worked!
- In celebration of his 48 years anniversary as a Rotarian and perfect attendance Jim Gilcreast donated $48 checks to both the Club and Rotary Charities Foundation.
- Kris David had a Happy Buck for Wendy’s birthday on January 31st.
- Margaret Kane $5 for being stuck inside because of the snow, thank goodness for the dog!
- Don Saracen had $5 for his son Scott and his wife Maria’s documentary Chasing Silver: The Story of Gorham, a three-part series that won the National Educational Telecommunications Association (NETA) Public Media award (competing with PBS-TV stations across the country.) They have also been nominated for a NE Emmy Award which will be announced in the Spring.
- Wendy Marcus had a buck because she’s happy.
- Bob Morse is happy to be at the meeting and his granddaughter’s birthday.
Speaker
Bruce Rutter of the Duxbury Rotary Club described his Club’s two-year social justice initiative, Duxbury for All, that focuses on diversity, equity, and inclusion. The killing of George Floyd and the unrest that followed was the impetus that made Rotarians ask what could be done to make Duxbury prejudice free. They have developed a multi level approach including a key first step, the development of a bold statement against systematic racism that every Club member signed (regardless of political affiliation) and a strategic plan to engage the entire community in this initiative.
Their initial attempt to raise public awareness of equity issues included buying an ad in the local newspaper and conducted a series of Zoom educational meetings focusing on Duxbury families who had been victims of racism with discussion groups following. Sixty individuals volunteered to help, and they divided into three groups focusing on: 1) reviewing systemic racial problems in the town; 2) key partnership development with local government, schools and organizations; and 3) a communication plan that included additional events and small conversation groups to give citizens a non-threatening place to discuss equity issues facing the town.
Duxbury Rotarians continue to be the leading voice on the issue by purchasing ads, writing letters to the editor, sponsoring a range of events (both fun and educational) that continue the conversation. They are a small Club of 28, but now they are the fastest growing Club in the region with a net of 13 new members demonstrating that taking a bold leadership role on equity issues benefits the town and the Club. The Club continues to receive an enormous amount of good press and raised $90,000 for projects, one of which that includes working with the community to host a refugee family from Afghanistan in town by providing housing and monetary support. Bruce suggested that the Providence Rotary Literacy program may benefit from a similar strategy incorporating diversity, equity, and inclusion to broaden our literacy commitment.